woolf



l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. J. WOOLE. ENGINE.

-I ('NO Model.)

Patented June 12, 1,894.

Y wim (No Model.) i E. J. WOOLF.

s sheets-sheet 3.

ENGINE.

Y Patented June 12, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLIS J. WOOLF, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WOOLF VALVE GEAR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ENGINE.

v SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,278, dated June 12, 1894.

Application filed J'uly 24, 1893. Serial No. 481,297. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: f Be it known that I, ELLIS J. WOOLF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engines; and I do here-- by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to engines and has for its object to improve certain features of the constructiomwith aview of obtaining increased efficiency of fluid distribution.

A number of the importantfeatures of the invention are directed to the valve mechanism; which improvements were especially designed for use in connection with compound engines. Y

Other features of the invention are directed to a simple construction, for converting compounds into simple engines.

My improved engines embody certain of the inventions described and claimed in my former patent, No. 475,427, of date May 24, 1892, entitled vsingle cylinder compound engine, but involve additional new features of radical importance, as will hereinafter appear.

The several features of my invention will be hereinafter fully described, and will be defined in the claims. Y

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention, wherein, like figures and letters referring to like parts throughout the several views- Figure l is a complete vertical longitudinal section, through a pair of single cylinder compound engines set tandem with my improved double passage valves applied thereto, and shown in their central position, the said view illustrating my invention, in its several dierent features, in the preferred form. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the valve seat shown in Fig. 1 with the valve-chest coverand the distribution valves removed, showing the supplementary fluid supply passages and their valves. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through another form of tandem compound engines, with the same. valves applied thereto, as in Fig. 1, but shown in one of their extreme'positions; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a pair of single acting compound engines, having the same valves, asy shown in Figs. l and 3, but shown -in their other extreme positions. It may be here noted, therefore, that the said three views, Figs. l, Sand 4, show valves of identically the same construction respectively, in their central position and in the two opposite extremes of their travel; and at the same time, the said views serve to illustrate the applicability of my improved valve to three different kinds of double compound engines. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of a valve and valve-seat similar to Fig. l, but with a single passage instead of a pair of passages, as shown in Fig. l.

Referring to Fig. l, the numerals, 1, 2, and 3, represent respectively, the cylinder, the valve-chest and the common valve rod.'

A represents the pair of independent valves working on the double seat B and operated together by the common rod, 3. The valve-seat, B, is provided with high pressure ports b, low pressure ports b and final exhaust ports c. The valves, A, are provided with a pair of internal fluid passages, a, and, a', and with final exhaust cups or cavity c. The Valves A are provided with outside lap, as shown at, a2, and with inside lap, as shown at, a3; and certain portions of the valve-seats, B, are treated as outside valveport laps, as shown at., b2, and inside valve port laps, as shown at, b3. The valve-seat, B, is, depressed or cut down on its face, as shown at, b4, to permit the fluid from the valve-chest to reach and enter the passage, a, of the valve, when the same is uncovered by traveling over the depression, b4.

.5, connected by a common trunk 6, working through the central partition 7, which trunk serves the usual function of reducing the area of the high pressure ends. The two pistons The passage, a, in the valve hasl the function, 1n one position of serving as a` 5, are connected to the common piston rod proper S. The trunk 6, is recessed, orotherwise provided with separate chambers, 9, at its opposite ends, with openings 10, for the inflow and outflow of the iluid; which chambers or recesses 9 serve to afford extra clearance 4for the high pressure ends of the cylinders. The part marked 6, and provided with the recesses marked 9, has been, in accordance with common usage, called a trunk; but it might, of course, be considered as an enlarged piston rod provided with the said recesses, 9, for the purposes named. The propriety of this language may be readily seen, by noting that the so-ealled piston rod proper, marked 8, might be, and, in practice, is sometimes attached to only one of the pistons, instead of being extended through the trunk and connected to both pistons.

In Fig. 3, a different form oi tandem compound is shown, having identically the same valves and substantially the same form of `double valve seat, as in Fig. 1, so far as the action of these parts is concerned. In this form of engine, however, the high pressure cylinder 11, and the low pressure cylinder12, and their respective pistons 13 and 14, are of different sizes, and no trunk is employed. The said cylinders and pistons are placed tandem; and the pistons are connected by a common rod 15Working through the parti tion wall separating the two cylinders.

Let it be here noted, that the construction shown in Fig. 3, is, in fact, a double coinpound engine. The outer ends of the cylinders,11 and 12, and the outside surfaces of the pistons 13 and 14 co-operate, under the control of the right hand valve; and the inner ends of the said cylinders and the said pistons eo-operate, under the control of the left hand valve.

Referring to Fig. 4, the valves and the valveseats are identical with the construction ot` thc same parts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3; but are shown as applied to a pair of single acting compound engines. In this view, Fig. e, 16 represents the two high pressure cylinders; and 17 the two low pressure cylinders. 18 are the high pressure pistons and 19 the low pressure pistons. 20, represents the high pressure pistonrods and 2l the low pressure piston rods; all ot` which, in practice, could be dispensed with and substituted by trunks. The said four pistons would, of course, in practice, be all connected to a common powershaft, (not shown;) with the cranks, for the co-operating high and low pressure pistons, arranged one hundred and eighty degrees apart. From what has already been said, and from the inspection ot' the drawings, it is obvious that, in each of the said views, Figs. 1, 3 vand 4, a double compound engine is shown, each member in each of which cases is coupled to a common valverod. As shown, the double valve-seat and the pair of valves open to the common valve chest 2; but, it is, of course, obvious that a separate valvechest might be provided for each of the pair of valves, and these separate chests might receive their supply of lluid from independent sources. Let it now be recalled, that in Fig. 1, the valves, A, are shown in their central position; that in Fig. 3, they are shown in their extreme left hand position; and that in Fig. 4, they arcshown in their extreme right hand position. Also assume that the supplementary valves D are in their closed position. lVith these facts in mind, the actions of the valves on the compounds, may oe readily traced, which actions are as follows: Let attention be directed to the left hand valve. When the said valve is at the extreme left end of its travel, as shown in Fig. 3, the high pressure cylinder port, b, is open to admission in the ordinary manner, at the right end of said valve; and, the valve-port, a, is also open to admission, at b4, thereby providing a double sized admission area to the high pressure cylinder port l. In order to follow the fluid, assume, now, this saine valve, ot Fig. 3, to be in the position as shown in Fig. 4.-, to-wit: at the extreme of its right hand travel. In that event, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, the valve-port or passage, a, will be in position to convey the iluid from the high to the low pressure cylinder, and the valve passage, a,will also be in position to co-operate with the passage, a, for the same purpose, thereby rendering available a double sized admission area to the low pressure cylinder port, b. Now, to follow the iluid farther, let it again be assumed, that this same valve is in the position shown in Fig. l, to-wit, central. In that event, the iinal exhaust from the low pressure cylinder would be about to begin through the valve exhaust cup c into the final exhaust passage c', which leads, of course, to the atmosphere.

, Referring to Fig. 5, the valve-seats, B, are identical With the valve-seats shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4; and the valves, A', are similar to the valves, A, shown in the other views; but, diifer therefrom,in the absence of the tluid passage, a', which fact also, of course, implies the absence of the inside valve lap, a3, shown in the other views, as co-operating with that passage, a'. Otherwise stated, the valves A', shown in Fig. 5, have only the single fluid passage, a, which has heretofore been called the valve-port. The functions of this valveport, a, in the said valves, A', are identical with the same passage in the before described valves A, giving the double admission area to the high pressure port, in one extreme position of the valve; and serving to convey, in a reverse direction, the iiuid from the high to the lowpressure port, when the valve is in an opposite extreme position. But, in the absence of the passage, a', of course, the double exhaust passage or admission area to the low pressure port, is not obtainable, with the said valves, A.

In all the compound engines, hereinbetore referred to, by the use of the valves the valve- IOO IIO

seats, constructed as described, the admission of the iuid from the high to the low pressure port is delayed, until the piston has substantially completed its high pressure stroke. Wit-h'the valves, A, having the double orpair of fluid passages, a, and, a', as shown in Figs. l, 3 and fi, the co-operationof the inside valve lap, a3, and the so-called inside valve-port lap, b3, accomplishes this result; and in the valves A', with the single Huid passage, a, the so-called inside valve-port lap b3, of itself, accomplishes this result. This particular result, of delaying the admission from the high to the low pressure port, was accomplished in my former patent hereinbefore identified; but, in the said former patent, the lap, which accomplished that result, was treated as being on the inside wall of the valve cavity, and as covering or lapping the low pressure port. The valve in said former patent was marked D, the fluid passage, CZ, the inner wallof said passage or cavity, as, d', and the said lap as, d", the same being spoken of in said patent as an outside lap d" on the inside wall, d' of the valve cavity cl. In this application, the special corresponding lap doing this work, has been treated as on the seat and lapping the valve-port, ct; and, for the purpose of better keeping up thenumerous distinctions required, has been called, as above stated, the inside valve-port lap, b3, to distinguish the same from the part of the valve-seat b2, which laps the said valve-port, a, on the other side, and is called the outside valve-port lap, b2.

The description so far given, is thought to have fully set out the construction and functions of the distribution valvesA and A'. The construction of the trunk 6, in Fig. 3, with the chambers or recesses 9 and the ad vantage of the same, for affording extra high pressure clearance, is also distinct.

Turning now to the other feature of my invention, to-wit: the construction for converting the compounds into simple engines, at

will, I provide, for each high pressure cylinder, of each double compound engine shown, a supplementary uid supply passage, D, for connecting the same with a source of uid supply, and equip the said passage with a valve, D', controllable, at will, by a hand-rod D2, or other operating device. As shown, these supplementary supply passages, D, are obtained, by simply extending the high pressure cylinder ports outward, beyond the distributing valves, and providing them with an opening into the valve-chest 2, as is best shown in Fig. 2; and, inasmuch, as in the construction shown, these passages, D, lie side-by-side, and near each other, the valves D covering the same, are connected to the common hand-rod D2.v Of course, if, independent valve-chests and sources of supply were provided for veach distributing valve, as was hitherto stated might be done, the said supplementary passages, D, would also communicate with the independent valve chests or independent sources of uid supply. Regarding now the functions of the said supplementary passages, D, and their valves, D', it is obvious that unexpanded luidmay be admitted to the high pressure cylinders independent of the distributing valves. Whenever this is done, the compounds are converted into simple engines, by rendering unexpanded iiuid available on the low, as Well as on the high pressure pistons. The value and importance of this feature are for starting the engines and especially for the increased power rendered available, by using the compounds as simple engines.

Referring to Fig. 4t, for example, the supplementary valves, D', are shown as in their open position. Hence, with the distribution valves, A, in the position shown in that view, unexpanded Huid will be admitted to both high pressure cylinders, and also directly, from the source of fluid supply, to the low pressure cylinder of the left-hand engine. The result is, that the pressures on the high pressure pistons will neutralize each other, and the whole pressure of the unexpanded fluid on the low pressure piston of the left hand engine, will become effective on the power shaft. Of course, in the opposite extreme positions of the distribution valve, with the supplementary valves D' in the same position, open as shown, the right hand low pressure piston would become equally effective. If the distribution valves, A, be in their central position, and the supplementary valves, D', be in their open position, as shown in Fig. 1, unexpanded Huid will be admitted to both high pressure cylinders, but the pressures would neutralize each other, and as no fluid could pass to either of the low pressure cylinders, the engine would be inoperative. But, if the distribution valves in Fig. l, should be thrown into either of their extreme positions, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the low pressure pistons would become available as a simple engine.

What is herein meant by the terms independent valves and independent valveseats,7 as applied to the distribution valves A A and A' A', is that the iuid distribution effected thereby, for each compound, is independent of the other; or otherwise stated, none of the fluid used in the one compound ever commingles with that used in the other. What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. In a compound engine, the combination with a valve-seat having a high and a low pressure port, of a valve having an internal Huid passage, which, in one position of the valve, is uncovered and serves to convey the iuid to the high pressure port, and which, in the opposite position of the valve, serves to convey, in a reverse directiomthe fluid from the high to the low pressure port, and means for final exhaust operative to permit the exhaust from the low during the admission to the high pressure port, substantially as described.

IOO

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2. In a compound engine, the combination with a valve-seat having a high and a low pressure port, of a valve having an internal iiuid passage, which, in one position of the valve, is uncovered and co-operates with the ordinary opening to render available an increased admission area to the high pressure port, for a given valve travel, and which, in the opposite position of the valve, serves to convey the fluid from the high to the low pressure port, and means for final exhaust operative to permit the exhaust from the low during the admission to the lhigh pressure port, substantially as described.

3. In a compound engine, the combination with a valve-seat having a high and a low pressure port, of a valve having two internal iiuid passages, which, in one position of the valve, co-operate to render available an increased admission area to the low pressure port, for the given valve travel, and means for final exhaust operative to permit the exhaust from the low during the admission to the high pressure port, substantially as described.

4. In a compound engine, the combination with a valve seat, having a high and a low pressure port, of a valve having, in addition to the final exhaust cavity, two internal fluid passages, one of which, in one position of the valve,is uncovered, and serves to convey iiuid to the high pressure port, and both of which passages, in the opposite position of the valve, co-operate to render available an increased admission area to the low pressure port, for a given valve travel, substantially as described.

5. In a compound engine, the combination with a valve seat having a high and alow pressure port, of a valve having, in addition to the lnal exhaust cavity, two internal fluid passages, one of which, in one position of the valve, is uncovered and co-operates with the ordinary opening, to afford an increased available admission area to the high pressure port, for a given valve travel, and both of which passages, inthe opposite position of the valve, co-operate with each other to render available an increased admission area to the low pressure port, for a given valve travel, substantially as described.

6. In a double compound engine, the combination with the two independent valve seats and the two independent valves on said seats, of a pair of independent supplementary iuid supply passages, each for connecting one high pressure cylinder with a source of iluid supply, and a valve in each of said passages controllable at will, for converting the compounds into simple engines, substantially as described.

7. The combination with ltwo single cylinder compound engines set tandem and having their pistons connected by a common trunk, of the two valve-seats, the two valves on said seats reciprocating in common directions, a pair of supplementary fiuid passages, for connecting the respective' high pressure ends of the two cylinders with the respective high pressure valve chests, and valves in said passages controllable, at will, for converting the said compounds into sim ple engines, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaix mysgnature in presence of two witnesses.

ELLIS J WOOLF.

Witnesses:

Jas. F. WILLIAMSON, JOHN PEEBLns. 

